Ty Balascio of seedsofliberty.org gathering more signatures June 4 in Monroe. CLICK TO ENLARGE

(MONROE, WA) -- Foes of the city’s red light robot cameras were on the street in Monroe Saturday at Currie View Park in a last minute push to get enough valid signatures to put those cameras to a public vote.

They were out last weekend as well on the signature hunt.

On May 23 Ty Balascio of Monroe, head of Seedsofliberty.org, delivered to Monroe City Hall 1,226 signatures of Monroe voters (they needed 999 valid signings) on Monroe Initiative No. 1.

The measure would require Monroe to remove the cameras that are now up and ask for voter approval before installing any more cameras.

It would also reduce the monetary fines from the tickets generated by such cameras.

However the group was informed by county election officials that after a review of the signatures, 625 were considered valid and 609 were challenged.

Since 999 are needed total - and 625 were considered valid - that means the group needs 374 additional valid voter signatures by Friday, June 10th.

So why are people spending their off hours gathering signatures on this issue?

Balascio lays it out this way:

“Think back to your last road trip. Remember when your eyes focused into the rear view mirror and identified that familiar white sedan with the light rack. You glance down at the speedometer and verify that your speed is in check. Then you re-check. And again.

You begin to question whether your lane travel is straight enough. You know that no traffic laws were violated, but as long as the police officer behind you continues your direction all senses are heightened; every action is checked and questioned; your concentration is divided between driving and how you think the officer thinks you are driving.

Now recall a time you passed under a ticket-camera somewhere in some city.

· "Uh oh.. was I going 21 or 20"?

· "Did I stop at the stop line for a FULL three seconds before turning right?"

· "I tried to make that left on a green but there were too many cars coming past"

· "That camera just flashed! Was that for ME? What did I do"?

Now fast forward three weeks. The ticket arrives in the mail. There is a picture of something, but you really can’t tell if a law was broken or not.

You call the 1-800 number and talk with someone in Arizona.

You talk to the courthouse, everyone tells you that you have to prove your innocence.

Ultimately, you shrug your shoulders and pay the fine. Plus a $4.00 convenience fee for using a credit card.

When these cameras get a foothold on society, when people simply acquiesce they will become ubiquitous to every street corner, every arterial, and every possibly legal location.

Like trained rats in a maze we will unconsciously question every action within range of the lens and flashbulb. We will slam on our brakes at the 1st sign of a yellow.

We will avoid parts of town with cameras; not to evade the law but to evade the feeling of being watched.

We will be by definition, under surveillance.

Those of us showing up to fight these cameras at the ballot box do so in order to preserve liberty for all. If we lose Monroe, the next largest city will succumb.